Tristan Jarry One Step Closer To Returning For Penguins

It's been almost exactly a month since Pittsburgh Penguins No. 1 netminder Tristan Jarry broke his foot. Friday morning marked the first time that Jarry was able to return for the full-team skate, bringing him one step closer to returning between the pipes. 

Tristan Jarry is the first player on the ice for Penguins morning skate, which should be a full one today with a day off on Thursday.

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) May 13, 2022

But head coach Mike Sullivan said he will not start in tonight's Game 6, and the medical team is still assessing his readiness to return to game action. 

“We’re trying to put players in position to be successful,” Sullivan said. “We understand how important he is to our team. And so we’re trying to make decisions accordingly that are best for the team and best for Tristan.”

When asked about using Tristan Jarry as a backup, Sullivan said: "We’ve had all kinds of those conversations behind the scenes. When Tristan’s ready to play and everybody feels comfortable that he’s ready to play, then certainly we’ll put him in the lineup."

— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) May 13, 2022

When Tristan’s ready to play and everybody feels comfortable that he’s ready to play, then certainly we’ll put him in the lineup," said Sullivan.

According to Penguins beat writer Mike DeFabo, Friday's morning full-on workout was just Jarry's fifth time on the ice since the injury on April 14th, and his first time seeing a full 5-on-5 in front of him. 

Sullivan said Wednesday of this week was a big breakthrough in Jarry's recovery process, when he took part in a morning skate and faced 2-on-1s and other drills. 

Today's 5-on-5 leaves him tantalizingly close to a return. 

Photo Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports